On July 13th, the Board approved several initiations to direct county staff to come back with updates and recommendations within various areas of the land use chapter of the comprehensive plan update.

Among them:

• The budgeting and appropriation of $390,000 from FY21 budget savings to FY22 Planning Office Budget to pay a consultant to complete the comprehensive plan update (passed 5-3)
• Initiation of the Housing Chapter Update (passed 6-2)
• Initiation of the Sewer Chapter Update (passed 5-3)
• Initiation of an amendment to the long-Rand land use map of the comprehensive plan to identity areas for a transfer of development rights program (passed 7-1)
• Initiation of a zoning ordinance and county code amendments to create an Affordable Dwelling Unit Ordinance (passed 7-1)
• Re-initiation of the Conservation Residential Zoning Text Amendment with an expanded scope (passed 5-3)

Supervisor Vega voted against every initiation as the primary objectives of the current board are to push for the decimation of the rural crescent and a massive increase in housing density, despite the county’s already packed roads and schools. The recommendations which will come back are largely predetermined and will be consistent with these objectives.

– Coles District Staff